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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997 S Aging - Approval of Funding Applications for In-Home Volunteer Assistance to the Elderly Project FOR OFFICE USE ONLY ACK PROP-NO. GRAN7,ID NO. Please check grant TRIANGLE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION program for which you wish to be considered: Spring 1997 Grant Application Hurricane Fran ❑ All applicants will be notified by June 15, 1997. Basic Human X Please read the attached "Information on Grants" before filling out this Needs form. General Grants ❑ Total Given in Spring 1996 Grant Cycle: $165,308.64 to 24 agencies of 111 agencies requesting funds 1. Name of Organization: Orange County Department on Aging Eldercare Program 2. Contact Name and Title: Christina M. Jacob, Eldercare Specialist 3. Phone Number: 919/968-2085 Fax Number: 919/968-2093 4. Mailing Address: Chapel Hill Senior Center. 400 S. Elliott Rd Chapel Hill, NC 27514 5. Street Address: NA (if different) 6. E-Mail Address: NA (Is this a home or work address?) 7. How long has this organization been in existence? Began as a Council on Aging in 1976 and became a county department in 1980. 8. Tax Status (check one): Tax-exempt charitable organization (501(c)(3)] _xi Governmental tax-exempt unit Other nonprofit (specify status) Unincorporated association Affiliated with tax-exempt organization Other (specify) Please attach a copy of your organization's IRS tax status determination letter (not applicable to government agencies or religious congregations). A tax exempt identification number is npt sufficient. 8. In the space below, please provide a one-paragraph summary of your three-page narrative in 100 words or less (please do not attach on a separate page or exceed space provided). Most older adults in Orange County prefer to live independently as long as possible. Assistance with in-home related tasks, such as help with errands and companionship, generally delays dependence. However, in Orange County, there are few options for older adults who need this kind of assistance and can not afford it. Public programs generally restrict assistance to the very poor or those with personal care needs. The help that is available is minimal and costly to the public. A cost-effective approach is needed. The proposed program would establish and coordinate a corps of volunteers to provide such assistance. 9. Total cost of project: $ $4,800 (please list entire amount, not just amount requested) 10.Amount requested from the Triangle Community Foundation: $ _ _$4,800 Trian,Ee Community Foundation Page ! of 3 Grant Application U.Other sources of funds for this project only (please indicate if any item listed is in-kind): (Should be the difference between Item #9 and Item #10) Funding Source Total Amount Amount Already Notification Requested Committed Date Chapel Hill Newcomer's Club* $1,000 none First week of April 199 $1,000 none TOTALS: *If the Foundation funds this project the Club's grant would not be accepted. 12.Timetable for the project: —August 1997.. to—__--_,ongoing Month/Year Month/ ear 13.Proposed timetable for payment of funds requested from Triangle Community Foundation: (grants submitted for the August deadline available January 15 or later and grants submitted for the February 1 deadline available July 15 or later): Date Amount July 15 $4,800 14.Percentage of this project to agency's overall annual operating budget: —1% 1.5.Applicant agency's overall annual operating budget:: $ 476,583 for year FY 96-97. (You may use current year's budget or next year's projected budget; please indicate your choice.) Overall Operating Budget Breakdown - please complete on this page (you may get these figures from your most recent IRS Form 990; if you are not required to submit a 990, you may simply use your overall operating budget): Total Income $2,100 from Individuals $0 from Corporations $0— from Foundations $ 12,777 from Local Government $ 31,584 - from State Government $237,055 from Federal Government from Earned Income 193,067 from Other(e.-o,.,-fees— $476,583 Expense $ 365,704 for Program Services $ 0 for Fundraising $ 110,879 for Management/General so for Payments to Affiliates $476,583 Difference: -0 These figures are taken from IRS Form 990/,,Eurrent year budget/)projected budget (circle one) for year 96-97. Triangle Community Foundation Page 2 of 3 Grant Application 16.Has your organization or a related organization received funding from one of the Triangle Community Foundation's discretionary grant cycles within the past three years? _ yes x No If Yes, please list cycle during which you applied (e.g., Fall 1995), project, and amount: 17.May the Foundation share your proposal with other potential funding sources? (The proposal will not be made available to the public, but only to potential donors or grantmakers. Your answer to this question will not affect the Foundation's consideration of your proposal.) Yes NO 18. Checklist (Refer to the Information on Grants section for more detail). Have you: 1. Described the community need or opportunity the proposed "activity is intended to address( providing evidence, if possible, in measurable terms)? 2. Explained the ways in which the project will address this need or opportunity (for an existing "project of excellence," described the impact of this program in the community, including statistics or other relevant information)? 3. Thoroughly described the project or activity to be undertaken and the amount of funding being requested from the Foundation? 4. Determined the timetable for the project? 5. Stated your organization's capacity to undertake the proposed project, including qualifications of personnel involved (i.e., why your organization is in a position to succeed with the project)? 6. Stated the specific objectives the program hopes to accomplish, in measurable terms if possible (for example, number of people served)? 7. Discussed the relationship of the proposed project to other programs in the community designed to meet the same or similar needs or opportunities? 8. Listed funds already committed for the project and the sources of these funds? 9. Indicated how future funding will be obtained, if the project is an ongoing one? 10. Explained how you intend to evaluate progress toward your stated goals and objectives? 11. Enclosed 6 collated copies of: - this application form? - the narrative proposal, not to exceed three pages of 12-point or greater font size? a one-page proposed project budget with explanations for each item? current Board of Directors list, with organizational affiliations and/or occupation? 12.Enclosed 1 cony of: - your organization's overall operating budget showing both income and expenses (one-page is fine)? - your organization's complete most recent IRS Form 990? (Please do not substitute your audit)* - your organization's IRS tax determination letter? Not applicable to government agencies or relgious congregations) 19,1 hereby certify that the applicant organization does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, religion, sexual orientation, physical disability, or national origin. um, . l Signature of Chief Officer of the Board PLEASE REMEMBER TO COLLATE (in the order stated above) AND STAPLE PACKETS WITH APPLICATION FORMS ON TOP. ANY ATTACHMENTS OTHER THAN THOSE REQUESTED ABOVE WILL BE DISCARDED. ALL APPLICANTS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY JUNE 15, 1997. Trianifle Conununitv Foundation Page 3 of 3 Grant Application • Funding Proposal for Community Connections In-home Volunteer Assistance Project ZP Community Need According to estimates based on the 1990 Census, Orange County in 1995 had 12,461 adult residents over the age of 60, or roughly 13 percent of the total county population. This cohort is expected to increase in size for the next thirty years. Recent national magazine recognition of the Triangle as one of the top retirement communities in the United States will likely influence this trend. In 1995, over three-quarters (79 percent) of the county's 60-plus population were either well or slightly disabled, needing only minor assistance with household chores or related tasks, such as errands, minor chores or companionship, to prevent increased dependence. This kind of minor assistance often serves as the "preventative medicine" that delays the need for more intrusive and expensive assistance. For example, if a disabled older adult is unable to get to the pharmacy for her medications her medical condition may be exacerbated, necessitating medical attention and possibly rest home or nursing home care. Institutional care is costly to everyone because government programs must inevitably be tapped to pay for it. In the same vein, if an older adult has sight limitations, she may have difficulty reading her mail and may consequently miss utility bills, resulting in their nonpayment and her heat or water being turned off. In addition, she may not be able to read even personal correspondence, which leaves her without an important connection to the outside world. As the population of older adults grows, so too will the number of persons-requiring this kind of help to remain in the community, a strong preference of older adults. However, even given this preference there is currently no coordinated support available. Many older persons in Orange County, though not poor, live on minimal fixed incomes which prevent them from being, able to pay privately for in-home assistance. Many are reluctant to request help of family and friends out of fear of appearing too demanding or needy. Some do not have anyone to ask for help. Public funds in Orange County, as elsewhere, generally restrict in-home assistance to the very poor or those with personal care needs, such as bathing and dressing. Orange County's Department of Social Services (DSS) restricts eligibility for its in-home assistance program to only those needing personal care; income is weighed with a number of other factors to determine total need. A similar service of the Orange County Department on Aging (DOA) evaluates income in the same way. The DOA has tried to'help those with non-personal care needs, but doing this has resulted in the agency having to restrict the amount of assistance available to all clients. Using trained aides to provide non- personal care assistance, in which expertise is not required of the caregiver, is expensive to the county; the hourly rate the county has been paying agencies for non-personal care assistance is $10.00. If volunteers were used to meet the needs of individuals requiring non-personal care assistance, public dollars could be saved, and available funding could be targeted to those with greater needs. Currently, no coordinated system of volunteers exists for this purpose in the county. A University of North Carolina student group, Youth for Elderly Services (YES), intermittently provides student volunteers, but student schedules reduce volunteer availability. Churches in the county provide assistance but generally only to their own congregations. When individuals have contacted the DOA wishing to volunteer their time to help older adults in their homes, the department has not had any coordinated means by which to assign duties to them. Proposed Project The proposed project would establish a volunteer corps to provide in-home and related assistance to older adults who have non-personal care needs that do not require expertise of the provider, thus saving public dollars and making help available to those older persons who cannot Community Connections Proposal afford to pay for it privately.The mission of this project, which we are calling, "Community Connections," is to maximize the independence of older adults and prolong the time they are able to remain living at home. Volunteers will provide services such as companionship and safety oversight, running errands to the grocery store, pharmacy), accompanying older adults on outings to (e.g.,C7 0 (e.g.,Z_n doctor's appointments), yard work (e.g., raking, trimming), light housekeeping (e.g., sweeping, removal of trash), assistance with correspondence (e.g., bill paying, letter writing, sorting mail), and meal preparation or delivery. Volunteers will be required to devote at least two hours every two weeks to the program, or they can participate in a one-time project. Within the first year, the project will serve 50 clients and engage 50 volunteers in service. Volunteers will be recruited through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP); Volunteer Orange, a local volunteer agency; UNC-CH student groups and human service-related schools. Fliers advertising the project to potential volunteers and clients will be posted at senior center sites in the county, UNC-CH sites, public libraries and other public buildings. Advertisements will be placed in the Department on Aging's Senior Times and in local newspapers, including the University's Daily Tar Heel, and public service announcements will be conducted on local radio stations. Organizations offering similar but limited services will be contacted regarding their interest in collaboration and to elicit referrals. In addition, Department staff will spread the word about the Program in their activities across the county. For project screening purposes, three reference checks will be conducted for each volunteer, and each volunteer will serve a three-month probationary period. Training will involve providing each volunteer with a"Community Connections" manual, created by Eldercare Program staff, that includes at a minimum, guidelines for volunteering, suggestions of activities or topics of conversation to engage in during visits, and general information about the aging process and older adults. Also, all volunteers will view a video that covers such topics as the psychological, sociological and biological aspects of aging. Confidentiality guidelines will be reviewed with each volunteer and a signed statement of understanding of all guidelines will be obtained from each volunteer. In the initial year(s) of the program, volunteers will be trained individually; as the number of volunteers increases group training sessions will be initiated. 0 1-7 Volunteers will be - in various ways. A volunteer of the month will be chosen according to hours volunteered and/or testimonials provided. Regular brief mailings of encouragement and appreciation will be mailed to volunteers. Magnets and tote bags will be used for recognition awards. By the second year a recognition tea will be held for all volunteers. Project Evaluation Factors to be used to evaluate the project will include to what extent the client perceives that the service helps them meet their needs, how many clients are being served, and how many clients are institutionalized during the course of the program. Clients and volunteers will receive yearly satisfaction surveys. In addition, the volunteer coordinator will contact each client after his/her first three months of service to inquire about their satisfaction. Volunteers will be responsible for reporting their hours to the volunteer coordinator, who will complete a monthly report including such information as types of tasks completed, and total hours volunteered. Project Timetable The project would begin to be advertised in mid to late August of this year; at the same I time, training and other materials will be developed. Volunteer assignment will begin by late Community Connections Proposal September. The project would then be ongoing. A total of$4800 is being requested from the Foundation for the initial year of the proposed project. This amount includes funds for a part- time stipended volunteer coordinator position and for recruitment and training materials for the program. The Newcomers' Club of Chapel Hill is also being approached for funding. The maximum amount available from that organization is being requested, which is $1,000. If this proposal is successful, any funding offered by the Newcomer's Club will not be accepted. As it is intended that this project be ongoing, staff plan to reapply for Foundation funding and will apply for funding from other sources to meet future project costs. Organizational Capability The DOA is the most appropriate agency to spearhead such an initiative because its mission is to provide a comprehensive array of services to the county's 60+population. Its services include transportation, information and referral, support groups and Medicaid case management. The Department has been serving the county's older adults and their families since 1976 when it was a'private agency. Over the years, staff have attempted to remain in tune with and responsive to the changing needs of their target population. Programs have been initiated or altered whenever possible. Eldercare Program staff is composed of two Eldercare Specialists who possess Master's degrees in Social Work and between them share seven ears of experience working with older Z7 y 11.) adults. The full-time Specialist, who will be the staff coordinator for this project and supervisor of the proposed volunteer coordinator, has for two years coordinated the varied services of the Eldercare Program, including a weekend volunteer telephone reassurance service. She is experienced in tracking client services and program funding, as well as in supervising personnel. The proposed volunteer coordinator would have experience working with volunteers and, preferably, older adults. He or she would be trained by the full-time Eldercare Specialist, as necessary, regarding volunteer management, aging and working with older adults. Advice and other technical assistance has already been sought from aging services providers in Durham, Wake and other counties who sponsor similar programs; their assistance Will be requested again as necessary. Conclusion Eldercare Program staff and the DOA administration strongly believe that this project would serve a need that is not currently being appropriately or adequately met. Foundation funding for this project would enable many older adults to receive the kind of basic assistance that contributes to their quality of life and to the life of Orange County. _ Community Connection In-Home Volunteer Program Budget Categm Volunteer Coordinator (Pl� 25% $3,120 au gpfies White copy paper 2500 sheets $18 Colored Folders w/ 100 folders $44__ bindings and pockets Colored Paper 600 sheets $46-88 heavy weight Plastic name 72 badges $13.17 badges Speciality Brochure 500 sheets $24.95 Paper Video 1 $500 Magnets 250 $166 .Tote Bags 12 $162 Appreciation Tea $175 YqLu LAt�& for 50 volunteers $370 & Accident Insurance Postage 500 stamps $160 �otal $4,800 Requested from Triangle Community Foundation 14�8-00 Ja�-_971 _